A LONG empty building in Bradford city centre is in the process of being transformed into an artisan bakery and creative space.

Later this year a building in Rawson Place will become the Bradford Bakery while the building's first floor will be turned into Assembly - an "co-working" space where creative professionals can rent office space and facilities.

The development is being partially funded by Bradford Council's Growth Zone.

The prominent building has been empty for over four years, on the pedestrianised stretch of Rawson Place, will see bread baked in the kitchen area on site and sold in a shop area. There are further plans to open up a cafe area in the same building, and the team behind the bakery say they hope the business will draw people to that often neglected area of the town the same way punters flock to Betty's Tea Room in Harrogate, York and Ilkley.

Terrence Igbokwe and Maria Chaoowska are renting the building and will run the bakery, which will have around five staff and produce high end baked goods, including sourdough bread.

Around £144,000 is being spent on the development, and windows in the kitchen will give the area, which has been blighted by empty buildings, a new, vibrant feel.

It is hoped the bakery will open in August.

Mr Igbokwe said: "It is my first business and baking is a real passion. Artisan baking is a new concept in Bradford. When we did some research we found there wasn't another artisan bakers in about 20 miles of Bradford. It is something that is definitely lacking in Bradford.

"Sourdough bread has a very distinctive taste, much different than what you get in a supermarket. We're aiming for the quality you get a places like Betty's. We're making everything from scratch.

"This is a really good location for us. This area of the city has a lot of potential and there are a lot of potential customers here. We hooe we will help bring the area back to life."

As well as bringing customers up from busier areas of the city centre, the new business will also link in with the city's thriving Independent Quarter, as it is just a short walk from North parade.

David Craig, who runs a design consultancy, is one of the directors of the Assembly, which will offer people working in creative industries a place to come together with other like minded people, as well as giving them access to resources like archives and IT equipment.

He said: "The desire is to give the city's creative people a place to come together without having to go to places like Leeds. There wasn't anything on offer in Bradford like that, this gives people a base in the city.

"It will be a work space where we can grow businesses."

On the building being brought back to use, he said: "We've seen what happened with The Sparrow opening on North Parade. Once you have an empty building brought back into use with an active frontage it has a knock on effect on that area."